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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23649739">A War of Wages</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/R_Quarion/pseuds/R_Quarion'>R_Quarion</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Jarring Series of (First Order) Events [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Ending to the Trilogy, Angst, Armitage Hux &amp; Phasma Friendship, Armitage Hux Has Feelings, Dark Lord Kylo Ren, First Order Wins the War, Fluff and Crack, He loves Hux its fact, Hidden Relationship, I cannot believe ive written two of these, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mitaka and Thannison rights, Phasma Lives, Post-ROS, Protective Kylo Ren, Secret Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:09:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,924</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23649739</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/R_Quarion/pseuds/R_Quarion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Kylo Ren kills Palpatine and the power is passed onto him, the Rebellion becomes a story of the past. With the First and Final Order in control of the galaxy, Hux cannot believe that he doesn't even have control over his own paychecks. Phasma is stubborn... Part II of the jar that reads: I said I wouldn’t hook up with him then I did again jar- 5 credits.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Armitage Hux &amp; Dopheld Mitaka, Armitage Hux &amp; Officer Thannison, Armitage Hux &amp; Phasma, Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Jarring Series of (First Order) Events [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1702636</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A War of Wages</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Team+ARKS+Discord+Server">Team ARKS Discord Server</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"You're not getting over him, are you?"<br/>
</span>
  <span>Hux frowned immediately. Phasma, in all her strategic organisation and professionalism, was asking a question at an inappropriate time. The winning of the war was something The First Order had been relishing over the past few weeks. It was at this public gathering where she had not-so-graciously presented the dreaded jar. </span>
</p><p><em><span>I said I wouldn’t hook up with him</span></em> <em><span>then I did again jar- 5 credits. </span></em></p><p>
  <span>“Phasma this is </span>
  <em>
    <span>beyond unprofessional</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Hux was only grateful that the attention was on Ren. His speech was short, toneless; perfect. The troopers were to celebrate later that night. Hux had been entirely hypnotised by Ren on the stage until Phasma had called him out entirely. She knew that look in Hux’s eyes. As if he had watched the destruction of a planet. Cataclysmic. <br/>
</span>
  <span>“Could you at least get rid of the damned thing…?” Hux kept his eyes on Kylo whose words were muffled by his mask, cold-hearted congratulations ringing out towards the gathering. It reminded Hux of the rally at Starkiller, all that time ago. Red, white and black paneling. The First Order insignia decorating flags and banners, dancing in the breeze of the late afternoon. The sun was setting on D’Qar, basking the crowds in red and orange watercolour. The light shimmered off Ren as if he were godlike. Illuminated by a power much too divine for the mere mortal to understand. But Ren was no mortal, was he? Leader of the Knights of Ren, Sith and Supreme Leader. Titles that all required some sort of public address. Hux had been watching Ren's cap flutter in the wind, his head turn when he spoke, the way he remained composed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Getting rid of the jar defeats the purpose of the jar." Phasma reminded him with a frown, shaking it until it made a light jingling sound. It caught the attention of two officers to their right but they quickly looked back to Ren and his grand speech. <br/>
</span>
  <span>"Surely you can make an open account so that I can transfer credits to?" <br/>
</span>
  <span>Phasma huffed a laugh. <br/>
</span>
  <span>"That wouldn't be nearly as satisfying."<br/>
</span>
  <span>"I thought this was about helping me?" Hux reminded her through gritted teeth, confused as to why he was still talking despite the on-going ceremony. <br/>
</span>
  <span>"You cannot help one who does not want to help themselves." She recited before asking, "do you want to help yourself?"<br/>
</span>
  <span>"Yes."</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Are you going to find some alone time to </span>
  <em>
    <span>congratulate each other </span>
  </em>
  <span>after this speech of his?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Hux took a sharp breath, looked at Phasma with a face that questioned her audacity, and then sighed, defeated.<br/>
</span>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was little time before the end of that speech and when the debt increased by another ten credits. Phasma had let Hux go without payment if, and only if, he paid double upon his immediate return. Albeit, Hux hadn’t actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>agreed</span>
  </em>
  <span> to that. Instead, Phasma had proposed the idea only to turn and find Hux already gone. No surprise, considering Ren had just left the stage.<br/>
</span>
  <span>And so standing alone she whispered, “all in favour say aye... aye. I love democracy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hux had rounded the corner only to directly run into Ren. Startled but attempting to maintain composure, Hux caught his footing and clasped his hands behind his back.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Dark Lord Ren, might I congratulate you on your speech and our ultimate victory?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Indeed.” God Hux </span>
  <em>
    <span>hated</span>
  </em>
  <span> that mask with all of his being but the low-toned distortion coming across as a threat </span>
  <em>
    <span>did something</span>
  </em>
  <span> to him. “The feeling is mutual.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>That sentence alone was bold of Ren. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Feeling?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hux smirked a little, he could tell by Ren’s stiff stance that it had been a slip of the tongue. The Sith Dark Lord does not so easily discuss such a topic around his officers or troopers. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Follow me, General.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Might I ask where we are intending to go?” Hux asked, following in one step behind him.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Elsewhere.” Vague yet intriguing, that was until Ren put his voice in Hux’s head, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>somewhere where I can wipe that smirk from your face.”</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span><br/>
</span>
  </em>
  <span>With that, the smirk only grew.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phasma did not greet Hux upon his return almost an hour later. She had been standing at attention beside petty officers listening to Alligent General Pryde discuss everything and anything political. Where to build from here, how the Final Order would reign supreme with Coruscant as its capital, the grand memorial that would be given to the late Emperor Palpatine who had died to pass his powers onto Dark Lord Ren. There were parts of all of it that Phasma didn’t care for and having Hux leave her in the midst of it, left her even more sour. As soon as he was back beside her, her arm extended to hold the jar up to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Captain Phasma, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” He hissed, moving closer to her in a flash to hide the jar from onlookers. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Bet that’s not the first time you’ve pleaded in the last </span>
  <em>
    <span>hour</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” She hissed back, smirking at Hux just a little as he reached into his pocket for credits. Dropping them in with the faintest clink, she stopped him before he had any time to feel relieved.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“It’s doubled, remember?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Wh- what, no, when?” He sputtered under his breath, noticing officers Thannison and Mitaka glancing in their direction. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“When you left. I held a vote. Majority in favour of doubling with one vote. There was no aye in opposing the credit change.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Well.’ Hux turned to the officers behind them, “Thannison, Mitaka, say aye.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Do not, Officers.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Phasma’s voice closed their mouths, “pay up, Armitage.” She cocked her head and smiled slightly as he begrudgingly dropped the remaining credits into the jar. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Now, was that <em>really</em> so hard?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Things only seemed to get harder after their relocation to Coruscant. Where Hux had hoped he would be spared working in conjunction with either of them, he was instead posted with both. Little surprise in that, but Hux was used to a lack of sleep and he had hoped maybe his work would be elsewhere and at night, well, he’d be less likely for Phasma to know his whereabouts in such hours. So he settled on some </span>
  <em>
    <span>unconventional</span>
  </em>
  <span> means. Leaving places a few minutes earlier to avoid Phasma on his route, meeting with Ren more often when Phasma works elsewhere. He was putting so much planning into this idea that he had forgotten Phasma would be able to see straight through it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A meeting of the Final Order council was the next time he was to see her. Without any warning, before the meeting was to commence, she was by his side presenting the jar once more. Nearly jumping out of his skin, he explained,</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“You are unbelievable!” The colour drained from his face as soon as he saw the jar as he hushed himself, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>get that out of here.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”<br/>
</span>
  <span>“Not until you’re paid up.” Her voice was just as threatening without the voice filter from her mask. It had been a long time since her recovery. Still unable to walk without an elbow crutch but was still as authoritative as ever. Not one soul doubted her abilities despite the physical trauma. Face littered with burns and a scowl that could make anyone tremble. The glare being held between herself and the general had already lasted too long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is this about?” Pryde approached from the other side of their awkwardly placed huddle. Behind them Hux heard Mitaka snicker before attempting, very poorly, to conceal it with a cough. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Great</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The last thing Hux needed was for Officers to know about the jar. Hux didn’t dare utter what the first thing he needed was. It would require paying the jar, after all. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Get. It. Out. Of. This. Room.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Not before you give me 30 credits. That isn’t even a </span>
  <em>
    <span>fraction</span>
  </em>
  <span> of what you owe.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“After this meeting.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“You’ll only avoid me again.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Hux jumped, startled, at Pryde’s voice booming from behind him,</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“What is this about?!” </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Phasma didn’t even flicker her good eye over at Pryde but instead, held the jar out to Hux and loudly requested,</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“General. If you would kindly put 30 credits into the Kylo R--”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Hux dug around his pockets before snapping at Mitaka for a 30 credit coin which he quickly discarded into the jar.<br/>
</span>
  <span>“Happy?!”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>She took a half hearted bow, then glancing over toward Pryde.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Thank you for your time, Gentlemen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hux found the meeting that followed to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>beyond</span>
  </em>
  <span> intolerable. Pryde was relentless in giving Hux side-eyed daggers and Mitaka constantly shifting in his seat. Hux didn’t need to be force sensitive to know that his and Kylo’s poorly defined framework of a relationship was, in fact, no longer a rumour. In fact, it was known throughout those he had worked the most with. Hux realised it once he had spoken to Thannison in the hallways. An offhand comment regarding the Dark Lord had broken the officers facade the second he glanced at Mitaka. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Officers.” They stood as tense as they ever had, “keep it quiet and I'll make sure accounting gives you both a generous bonus on your next paychecks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phasma would not let it go. The jar was haunting Hux beyond the realms of possibility. It was at another meeting that he found himself considering hiring people to sneak into Phasma’s quarters and smash the thing. Of course that would not </span>
  <em>
    <span>stop</span>
  </em>
  <span> her, nothing seemed to do that. It would just give him a smile in the face of the damned thing. He delighted in the prospect of it in a million pieces scattered across the floor. Maybe, just maybe, Phasma would step on a piece. The term for that was karma and Hux felt as if the universe hadn’t been fair in its distribution of it.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Phasma, I swear, I---”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“You told me to stop asking you at meetings. You are not at the meeting yet. 10 credits. That’s letting you off easy.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Letting me off easy?! You took my last paycheck.” </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Phasma cocked her head to the side.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Not my poorly made choices.” She reminded him, shaking the jar slightly. Credit coins clinked and he made a sudden move to hide it from any passers-by. “When was the last time you slept properly---”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>The sudden and unexpected clink made the both of them freeze in their bickering. Without either of them noticing, Mitaka had approached quietly and dropped a coin into the jar,</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Uhh, if you please excuse us Captain, the General has an urgent meeting. We must be going.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>It was with surprised horror that Hux realised Mitaka was keeping credits with him, possibly, for that exact reason. It rendered Phasma speechless for a few seconds,</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Absolutely Lieutenant, maybe you can teach the General a thing or another about being prepared..."</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“If you had your helmet on, I’d punch you.” Hux hissed at her, only to be more irritated by the smugness of her reply,</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“You’d break your hand… not too sure if you have the funds to visit the medical droids right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mitaka pulled him away before the bickering could flare back up again. With a harsh swallow and a swell of bravery, Mitaka spoke out of place,</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“With all do respect, General… Thannison and I are concerned you are, how do I put it, somewhat in over your head.” They stopped in their paths. Hux bit his tongue and gave Mitaka the benefit of the doubt. “W-what I mean is… Ren and yourself are… good for each other? Well, okay for each other? Average f--”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Your point, Lieutenant?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“He destroys less things when he’s with you. Easier to manage, easier to serve. I nearly lost my life telling him about that scavenger girl way back on the Finalizer! But he’s different now. And Captain Phasma is, frankly, scary to argue with.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Stubborn.” Hux chimed in,</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Extremely so. I just want to let you know, Thannison and I have your back. Whatever you and Dark Lord Ren have… we support it.”<br/>
Hux thanked him then. Before he could even consider the words, they had left his mouth.<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was beyond clear that Pryde and some other notable asshats of authority didn’t share the sentiment. The meeting regarding security in systems of the outer rim was seemingly overthrown by aggressive attempts to berate Hux where he sat. Claims of being disorganised, underprepared, selfish in his actions and a disappointment to the order were all bared down on him without remorse. Mitaka and Thannison, from the opposite end of the table, managed to give Pryde enough looks of disapproval to give Hux a small sense of stability. Allegiant General maybe, but a General nonetheless. Being talked down to was not a new thing for Hux and so, once the meeting concluded, he refused to share any further words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Walking the halls, he found a sense of irritation flooding him. Irritation that manifested itself into anger and anger that swelled much more dangerously. Hux took a deep breath and, in the solace of his own quarters, found himself taking steps without meaning to. Shoes discarded by the foot of his bed, he made his way to his bathroom. He sunk down beside the bath, in the furthest corner of the room, having locked the door behind him. It was there he took a deep breath and, in a fraction of a moment, struggled out desperate sobs. Each breath was shorter than the last and the muscles of his brow began to ache at his furious state of frowning. Teeth gritted and tear streaked cheeks, he had to urge back his need to </span>
  <em>
    <span>scream. </span>
  </em>
  <span>It wouldn’t fix anything, neither did being curled up in a place he wouldn’t be found. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Childish</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he scolded himself, </span>
  <em>
    <span>pathetic</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He had suffered so much with feeling so little of it. It was all crashing over like a tidal wave. Lungs flooding, nails digging into the palm of his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hux yelped when the doors suddenly flew open, snapping entirely from where they had connected to the walls.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Good lord!” Hux exclaimed in surprise, protecting himself from scattering debris with his arms held over his head. Ren was by his side in a second, no mask and face seemingly to be paler than usual.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“It’s Dark Lord, actually.” He tried to muse, a half-hearted smile on his face, “Armitage, what’s wrong?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“How did you---”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I could have felt it from the other side of the planet…” Ren moved to rest his hand over Hux’s racing heart. “What’s wrong?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Hux stammered syllables that fell into no coherent sentences. Ren didn’t push him but raised his thumb to swipe some of the sticky tears from Hux’s face. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“We fought so hard for this…” He eventually admitted, raising his hand to cup Ren’s cheek, “though maybe people would stop seeing me as a lesser.<br/>
</span>
  <span>“Who dared?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“It’s fine Ren, I can fight my own fights.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Who dared?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their eye contact was more powerful than those who opposed either of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next meeting, Phasma seemed to be nowhere in sight. A blinking message let Hux know why, </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Thannison is much too considerate- buy him a drink. Maybe 20 credits worth? Considering he just covered your ass.’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>Hux rolled his eyes although made a mental note to do so. He would pay back Mitaka and Thannison in full, until a different plan could be arranged. One with more organisation and maybe lacked a certain jar. The meeting itself was one which went much better than expected. Pryde, with a suspicious newly forming black eye, even made a poor attempt at apology. After the meeting, Hux insisted he take Mitaka and Thannison for drinks. On him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A crowded bar in the back alley of Coruscant was far from Hux’s first place. But in recognition of the two Officers’ devotion, he had let them decide the location. It was regular of theirs or, it must have been, considering the bartender had acknowledged them by name. Music thrummed through the walls enough to vibrate and Hux had to strain just a little to hear anything other then the lyrics.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kad Nu buti nelsenena zaraeyr pro zhol visa, </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span><br/>
</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Ardyti nuyak savas skeletas, tezn kia buti zo eyuksyr, </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span><br/>
</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Kizta buti uensutun...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did this whole jar thing start, General?” Mitaka asked, sliding him a drink.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Hux spared detail. Of course he did. There was so much he didn’t dare share with the two men before him. But he gave an abridged version. That Phasma was too much of a stickler for organisation (despite the fact that he, himself, was very much the same) and that the jar had been an attempt at a preventative measure. The jars' story's slow delve into chaos and it’s manifestation into the bane of Hux’s existence had the two of them smiling.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“So… Dark Lord Ren doesn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span>?!” Thannison exclaimed, it was the first time Hux had heard his voice without the montone acknowledgement of order receiving. Made him a touch more human, </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“He doesn’t.” Hux stifled through a wince of the alcohol sip which was awfully bad. Fumes almost rose from it. A strange thought flickered in the back of his mind. That he would have to treat these two to some quality alcohol one day. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“And what if he was to find out?”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<span>Hux bit down on his bottom lip, furrowing his brow and staring at the bottom of the glass. He drained it quickly at such a thought.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Time will tell, Lieutenant…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That day would be one for the history books.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yeah, can't believe this exists. Why did I do this? God knows. Hope it made someone smile during these tough times x</p></blockquote></div></div>
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